Electric indicator



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. D. PORTER. ELECTRIC INDIGATOR.

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(No Model.) q 4 sheets-'sheet 2.

M D. PORTER. ELECTRIC INDICATOR.

No. 424,725. Patented Apr. 1, 1890.

(No Model.) lLSheets-Shee: 3.

M.` D. PORTER.

ELEC-TMG INDICATOR.

No. 424,725. Patented Apr. 1, 1890.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4, M. D. PORTER.

ELECTRIC INDICATOR.

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MAJOR DANE PORTER, OF NEWITON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PORTER ELECTRIC B'IESSENGER COMPANY, OF NE\V YORK.

ELECTRIC iN DICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,725, dated. April 1, 1890.

Application filed August 10, 1885. Serial No. 173,901. (No model) To all whom t may concern: sioned by the apparatus at the receiving-sta- Be it known that I, MAJOR DANE PORTER, tion or central office. At this oitice the make a citizen of the United States, residing in Newand break of the circuit is controlled by a deton, in the county of Middlesex and State oi' vice set in operation by the attendant, and

5 Massachusetts, havcinvented certain new and for each interruption a receiving device or in- 55 useful Improvements in Electric Indicators, dicator, with markings corresponding to those of which the following is a specification. on the dial ot' the sub-station or room, is ad- My invention relates to the class of elccvanced step by step,itsmovementcorrespondtrical apparatus employed for indicating at a ing to those ot" the indicator' of the transmitter.

ro central oiiice the different Wants of various The circuit which is first completed by the 6o sub-stations or for transmitting dii'i'erent sigtransmitter releases an annunciator device nals from the various rooms ot' a hotel to the at the central oiiice, and upon returning this clerks office. to its normal position in the manner of an The object ot the invention is to provide ordinary annunciator the clerk or attendant i 5 efiioient means for transmitting accurately thereby automatically colnpletes a circuit 65 any required number of diltcrent calls withthrough an electro-magnet adapted. to operout the aid of complicated apparatus and ate the receiving-indicator. Each time, howwithout necessitatingany but the most simple ever, that the electro-magnet is vitalized the manipulation of the transmitting devices. circuit is automatically interrupted, thereby 2o The invention consists in organizing the apreleasing both the armature ot' the receiving 7o paratus insubstantially the tollowingl manelectro-magnet and that of the electro-magner: In each substation or in each room of a net employed for returning the indicator of hotel, for instance, there is placed a transmitthe transmitter. A number of impulses are ting device, which is constructed with a rerequired for so returning the indicator, de-

z 5 volving disk carried upon a shaft, the latter pendent upon the number of spaces upon the l7 5 also carrying a ratchet-Wl'ieel so constructed dial between the one selected and the zerothat When moved away from its point of rest point or point of rest, and for each moveit will be returned thereto by the action of an ment otn the transmitting-indicator a correelectro-magnet. lVhen at rest, aninsulatingspending' movement of the receiving-indi- 3o point upon the disk is beneath a circnit-eloscator will be occasioned, so that when the 8o ing spring connected with a conductor leadformer has been returned to its normal posi- 4 ingto the central station or oi'iice through the tion the latter will stand at a point correelectro-magnet, thus leaving the circuit open. spending to that at which the transmitter Then the disk is turned, the spring forms an was placed.

35 electrical connection through the disk with Various details in the construction of the 85 areturn-condnctor. Anindicating-arm upon apparatus Will be described in connection the shaft moves with th'e disk, and when the with the accompanying drawings, in whichlatter is turned to any given point upon an Figure l is a front elevation of one of the indicating-dial the electric circuit is comtransmitting devices, and Fig. 2 is a view of 4o pleted through the electro-magnet. This magthe same, thc face being removed. Fig. 3 is 9o net, by being successively vitalized and dea transverse section of the device. Fig. -i is magnetized, is made to return the ratcheta front elevation of the annunciator-board or wheel, and thus the disk, toits starting-point receiving device. Fig. 5 is a transverse secstep by step. The indicator may be turned tion of the same. Fig. G is a detailed view 45 in either direction to the desired point, anda of the receiving and indicating device. Fig. 95 number of impulses, depending upon the po- 7 is a diagram illustrating an organization of sition ot the indicator, (and thus ot the disk,) circuits, and Figs. S and 9 show a modification is required to return it to its starting-point, of the annunciator-magnet devices. whereupon the circuit isagain interrupted. Referring to the drawings, A represents the 5o The interruptions of the circuit are occadial of a transmitting device, upon the face roo a azar/25 of which there are divisions a, which designate various classes of wants, such as may be desired at the rooms of hotels. An indicating-arm a is designed to be turned until it points to the particular division which designates the want for which a call is to be sent. The indicator a is carried upon a shaft b. To this shaft thereY is rigidly secured a disk b', which is in electrical connection by means of a conductor l with a line L, leading to the office or to the earth. A conductor 2,0011- nected with a conductor L,which leads from the office, is connected through the coils of an electro-magnet B with a contact-spring b2. In the disk Z9 there is placed an insulated contact-surface 3. Vhen the transmitter is at rest, the spring b2 rests against the point b3, and therefore the connections between the conductors L andL are interrupted. NVhen, however, the indicator a is turned in' either direction, the connections through the magnet B are established. lt is designed that the disk b shall be returned step by step to its starting-point by means of a pawl b5, carried by an armature b4, applied to the electro-magnet. The pawl acts upon a ratchet-wheel c', carried upon the shaft h. A suitable locking-pawl 19' en ters the tooth of the ratchet-wheel c when the pawl b5 moves forward in response to the action of a spring 11S. It is evident that the armv a and the shaft b may be turned .toward the left hand, carrying with it the wheel c; but it is desired that it may be turned as well in thev opposite direction, and to accomplish this e it is preferred to connect the ratchet-wheel c with the shaft through a spring c2, connected to the ratchet-wheel and resting against the tooth of a star-wheel c3. The force of this spring is sufficient to cause the disk to re volve when the wheel c is actuated; but at lthe same time it permits the shaft and the disk to be revolved in either direction independently of the wheel c. A second lockr ing-pawl ZJ? normally prevents a retrograde movement of the wheel.

Vhen the circuit has been completed by setting the transmitting device, an electromagnet D', which is included in the conductor L', becomes vitalized, and thus serves to re lease a push-button or annunciator device d, bearing a number or design corresponding to the particular transmitter to which it responds. The electro-magnet is provided with an armature di, which normally engages an extension cl3 of the annnnciator or push-button vby entering a notch d, Vhen the electro-magnet 'is vitalized by closing the circuit at the'transmitter, the armature cl2, which is preferably pivoted near one pole of the electro-magnet and` extends into proximity to the opposite pole, is raised out of the notch, and the push-button moves forward in response to the tension of a spring' d6. The button d is carried upon a non-magnetic rod (Z5, eX- tending axially through the center of the core of the electro-magnet.

When the push-button is returned by the attendant to its normal position, it is designed that the circuit shall be transferred, so

as to include an electro-magnet F, which is designed to actuate the indicator of the receiving device.

Referring to the diagram, it will be seen i that the circuit-connections are first through the conductor L', for instance, leading from the transmitter in room No. l to an electromagnet `D', corresponding to that room, thence to a contact-spring e', which normally rests against a stop c2. The stop e2 is connected by a conductor 3 with one pole of a battery 0, the remaining pole of which is connected by a conductor 4 either with the earth or with a return-conductor L. A second con tact-point e3 is applied to the springe', so that when the push-button is pushed farther in than its normal position the spring e will be separated from the point @zand pressed against the point c3. The point c3 is connected by conductors 5 and 6 through the coils of the electro-magnet F, and by the conductor 7 with one pole of a battery O, the remaining pole of which is connected in series with the battery 0 by the conductor 8. If, therefore, the attendant pushes the button d back beyond its normal position, it will disconnect the conductor L from the conductor 3 and place it in connection, through the magnet D', with the point e3., and thus, through the electroanagnet F and the circuit of the batteries O and 0, will be complete through the magnet F.

In Figs. 8 and 9 a modified form of the device connected with the magnet Df is shown. Instead of operating by the action of the spiral spring pushing the button outward when the magnet D is vitalized, the same object may be accomplished by turning' upward and bringing into view a disk bearing the number of the room whence the signal comes.-

In the device shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the spring s is so attached to the rod carrying the annunciator-disk 0 as to tend to turn it in its bearings, but is held by a pin upon the armature a of the magnet, which engages the disk 00 on the rod to which one end of vthe twisted spring is secured. When the magnet is vitalized, as already described, the armature is drawn toward the core and away fromr the disk The latter, being released, turns the rod one-quarter round until stopped by the contact of the "pin p on the rod with the pin p on the piece in which the rod is supported. This brings the disk o into view. The attendant, when he turns the disk back to its former position by turning the button d, connects the wire L with wire 5 instead of the wire 3, thus making the same connections as vas done by pushing in the button CZ inthe device first described in Fig. 5.

The conductor leading from the magnet F,

instead of passing directly to the conductor 6Y is connected with a toothed segment of a wheel H. A contact-spring h, which rests against t-he teeth 7L of this wheel, is connected with the conductor 6. Then the wheel II is moved, the teeth 7L pass beneath the spring 7i, and the spaces between the teeth serve to interrupt the circuit-connections, and thus dcmagnetize both the magnets F and D. The electro-magnet F is provided with an armature f, carried upon a lever j". Theleverf carries a detent f2, which normally engages the teeth of the segment H and prevents it from moving. `lVhen, however, the electro-magnet F is vitalized, the detent f2 releases the segment, which immediately advances in response to the tension of a spring h2, one end of which is attached to the shaft h3, carrying the segment, and thc other to a stationary post h4. Immediately upon the movement of the segment a space between the teeth h comes beneath the contact-spring 7L, and the circuit through the electro-magnet F is interrupted. ture f thereupon falls away, and the detentf2 passes in :front of the succeeding tooth. A second toothJ however, immediately comes into contact with the spring, and the circuit is again completed. In this manner the connections through the electro-magnet F will be successively made and interrupted, and the armature fwill occasion a step-by-step movement of the segment I'I, and thus of an indicating-arm I, which is carried upon the shaft h3. Each interruption of the circuit will also, as has already been shown, cause a corresponding movement of the armature b of the transmitter, and thus return the indicator a to its starting-point. The movements of the indicator a will thus correspond to those of the indicator I, and for each space of the dial A passed over by the latter a corresponding division 7a of the dial K of receiving-annunciator will be passed over bythe indicator I. The spaces upon the dial K are so placed that, starting from the one extremity j, which is the normal position of the indicator, the different wants are indicated in the same manner as are represented upon the transmitting-dial, commencing at a point j and reading toward the right hand. It', therefore, the indicator a be placed in the third division, for instance, then when itis returned three movements of the arm I will be occasioned, and this will cause the indicator to stand at the third division and indicate the want asis represented upon the third division of the dial A.

The operation of bringing the indicator I into position to designate` the want also serves to restore the transmitting-indicator a to its normal position and to give notice that the call is received. lVhen the indicator a is returned to its normal position, the circuit through the conductor L is interrupted, and therefore the electro-magnet F will not be again actuated, and the indicator I will stand at the want desired.

It is designed that the spring h2 shall be wound by the action. of returning the indicator I to its normal position after a want has been indicated. For this purpose a ratchet- The arma- I to the shaft of the arm or indicator, and the other end to the post h4.

In the diagram four transmitting devices are represented as being placed in four rooms, (indicated by dotted lines.) The conductor L L2,-&c., leads from the respective transmitters through the corresponding electromagnets D D2 D3 to the conductor 3 'in the manner described, and the return-conductor may be either direct or through the earth with which the conductors it and L are connected, as shown at g and g2; or it is evident a metallic returnmay be made, if desired. It will be noticed that the person calling has only to move the hand a in either direction to the point upon the dial indicating the want and leave it. The clerk or attendant will thus be notified that a call is to be received from the particular room or sub-station, and upon pressing in the push-button the want is automatically indicated and the transmitter replaced without further care upon the part of the person calling'. A signal-bell may of course be placed in circuit, if desired. It will be noticed, also, that no confusion is caused by signals from several rooms or stations being sent at the same time by this system. The wants of each can be ascertained successively as rapidly as desired.

By mechanically connecting the indicator I and the rheotome H of the receiving apparatus reliability of indication is secured, in-

asmuch as the same relations are always sustained between the said parts, whereas where the connection between the indicator :and rheotome is not mechanical and fixed it is diiticult to preserve their right relations, and confusion of indication must often occur.

I claim as my inventionl.. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, at one station, of an indicator capable of being set in any of several positions to transmit a desired signal and an electro-magnet for returning it step by step to its normal position, a second indicator and an electro-magnet for moving it step by step into different positions at another station, an electric circuit including said electro-magnets, a circuit-controller at the last-named station operated by the second magnet for temporarily interrupting the circuit at each movement of its indicator, and a circuit-controller operated by the iirst-named magnet to interrupt the circuit when its indicator is returned to its normal position.

2. A multiple-signal apparat-us consisting of a transmitter capable of being placed in position to send any of a number of different signals, a circuit-closing device for completing a circuit at the transmitter when itis set, an indicating device at a receivingstation operated by the eompletionof this circuit, a

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for'successively completing and interrupting the circuit, and thereby returning the said circuit-closing device toits normal position and simultaneously placing the signal-receivin Which the transmitting device Was placed.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, at a central station,with an indicating-arm, a circuit-closer, and an electromagnet for operating the indicating-arm, of an annunciator, an electro-magnet for operating the same, an electric circuit including both magnets, the connections of which may be completed by said circuit-closer, a second electro-magnet for moving the same step by step, a circuit-closer at said distant point normally interrupting the circuit, but placing the last-named electro-magnet in circuit when a signal is set, and a rheotome at the central station for causing the connections of said circuit to be made and interrupted, thereby mov,- ing bot-h of said indicating-arms.

4. The combinatiomvvith a variable signaltransmitter having an indicator, an electromagnet for returning the same to its position. of rest, and a circuit-controller, of a signal-indicator located at a receiving-station for reproducing any signal to Which the transmitter may be set, an electro-magnet also located at the receiving-station, an electric circuit controlling such magnet, a detent constantly impelled to stop the signal-indicator and thereto f released by the said circuit as soon as the signal has been reproduced, and an automatic rheotome located in the said circuit and interrupting the same, whereby the magnet of the transmitter operates to return the indibreak the circuit, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination,with a variable signaltransmitter having an indicator, an electromagnet, and a circuit-controller, of an indicator situated at a receiving-station to locate the transmitter, a sign al-indicator also located at the receiving-station and adapted to reproduce any signal to which the transmitter may be set, an electro-magnet located at the receivjing-station, an electric circuit including the mg devlce 1n position corresponding to that said magnets, a detent constantly impelled to I stop the signal-indicator and thereto released j by the said circuit when the signal has been i reproduced, and an automatic rheotome mechanically connected with the signal-indicator and located in the said circuit and in- I terrupting the same, whereby the magnet of f the transmitter operates to return the indiicator thereof to its position of rest and to 'i break the circuit, substantially asset forth.

indicating-arm located at a distant point, an

6. The combination,with a variable signalltransmitter having an indicator, an electromagnet, and a circuit-controller, of an indicator situated at a receiving-stationto locate the transmitter, a signal-indicator also located at the receiving-station and adapted to repro- L duce any signal towhich the transmitter may j be set, an electro-magnet located at the receiving-station, an electric circuit including the Q said magnets, a detent controlled by the said circuit for stopping the signal-indicatorwhen it has reproduced a signal, and an automatic rheotome mounted on the same shaft with the signal-indicator and' interrupting the said circuit, whereby the magnet of the transmitter operates toA return the indicator thereof to its position of rest and to break the circuit, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub- 5 scribed my name this 7th day of August, A.

MAJOR DANE PORTER.

Witnesses:

DANI.. W. EDGEcoMB, CARRIE E. DAVIDSON. 

